I have many interests, so this is going to be a blog on lots of subjects. Submarines, my family, history, books I read, the space programme, archaeology, astronomy, current events, the occasional joke.... Just don't expect any politics, sports or deep philosophy, and we should get along fine.

27 October 2006

"Little Orphant Annie"

Three poems in one month – something that will undoubtedly never be seen again, at least not on this blog. In fact, even if I restrict myself to one a month, as I’d originally planned, it won’t take long for me to run out of poetry I like. But it’s almost Hallowe’en, and this piece by James Whitcomb Riley seems awfully appropriate for the season, so rather than hold it until next month….

To all the little children: -- The happy ones; and sad ones;The sober and the silent ones; the boisterous and glad ones;The good ones -- Yes, the good ones, too; and all the lovely bad ones.

Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away,An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done,We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest funA-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about,An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits youEf youDon'tWatchOut!

Wunst they wuz a little boy wouldn't say his prayers,--An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs,His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl,An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all!An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press,An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess;But all they ever found wuz thist his pants an' roundabout:--An' the Gobble-uns 'll git youEf youDon'tWatchOut!

An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin;An' wunst, when they was "company," an' ole folks wuz there,She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care!An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide,They wuz two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side,An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!An' the Gobble-uns 'll git youEf youDon'tWatchOut!